Marantz NR1510 REVIEW: Don’t Let Its Size Fool You

The Marantz NR1510 AV receiver is a sleek and stylish piece of equipment. It’s got a classic look, with a black metal front panel and a clean, minimalistic design. The front panel features a small display screen, which shows you the current input and volume level, and a few buttons for controlling the basic functions of the receiver. The rest of the controls are located on the remote control. The overall look of the NR1510 is definitely sleek and modern, it’s simple but elegant and it will look great in any home entertainment setup. The size of it is also compact, it won’t take up much space and it’s easy to place it in a bookshelf or a cabinet. It’s not a bulky piece of equipment and it’s easy on the eyes.

Marantz NR1510 Features

The Marantz NR1510 is a compact 5.2 channel AV receiver that’s about half the height of traditional AV receivers, while delivering exceptional performance and the most musical sound. Its 5-channel discrete power amplifier provides 50 watts per channel and it comes with 6 HDMI inputs with full HDCP 2.3 support. On paper the 50 watts would implied that its under powered, but as you’ll read further down that power output can be deceiving.

The receiver supports various picture and audio enhancement technologies such as Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), eARC and ALLM. It also supports 4K/60Hz full-rate pass-through, 4:4:4 color resolution, HDR10 and BT.2020. This means that you’ll be able to watch your favorite movies and shows with the highest quality of sound and picture.

The NR1510 can decode various surround formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and also supports lossless file decoding for high-resolution listening with ALAC, FLAC and WAV lossless file decoding up to 24-bit/192-kHz. This ensures that your music will be heard in the best quality possible and you’ll be able to appreciate the nuances in the music. If you’re looking for an amp that supports DTS:X or Dolby Atmos you may want to look at one of Marantz’s upper tier amps like the SR5010.

HEOS is built-in for multi-room streaming, music streaming and voice control. The receiver, as expected, comes with built-in Wi-Fi with 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band support (dual antenna) and supports all major voice control agents and streaming services. It also features an integrated phono input to directly connect your turntable. This means that you’ll be able to stream your music from all your favorite services, control the receiver with your voice, and even connect your turntable for some old-fashioned vinyl listening.

Marantz NR1510 Connectivity

Despite the Marantz 1510’s compact frame, Marantz crammed as many inputs and outputs as they could inside its squished frame.

The NR1510 has 3 composite inputs and 1 composite output. These inputs and outputs allow you to connect devices that use the composite video and audio connection, such as older DVD players or video game consoles. This gives you the flexibility to connect your older devices and enjoy them with the NR1510.

Read Our Review of the Marantz Cinema 60

Component inputs & outputs are missing from the 1510. Component video is an older standard for high-definition video, so you probably won’t miss this since most devices now use HDMI for video and audio connections.

A total of 6 HDMI inputs (including one on the front) and 1 HDMI output are built-in to the Marantz NR1510. This allows you to connect all your HDMI-enabled devices, such as your TV, Blu-ray player, and gaming console, and enjoy high-definition video and audio. The NR1510 also supports 4K Ultra HD video and HDR, which means you can enjoy the latest movies and shows in the highest quality. The 1510 doesn’t support 8k video, so if that’s a deal breaker for you, you may want to consider this. If you’re in to old school vinyl, then you’ll be pleased to see that the NR1510 also features a phono input.

The NR1510 also features 1 optical and 1 coaxial digital input.  The NR1510 does not have any multi-room output options, it does however have 2 USB audio inputs and 2 subwoofer outputs for added flexibility to your setup. These USB inputs allow you to connect a USB drive or an iPod/iPhone and play music files directly from the device.

Marantz NR1510 Performance

Despite it’s compact design, the Marantz NR1510 AV receiver packs a punch when it comes to audio quality. Whether you’re a music lover or a movie buff, this little guy may blow you away with its impressive sound and powerful performance.

The NR1510 has a built-in high-resolution audio decoder, which means it can play back high-resolution audio files in formats like FLAC, DSD, and WAV. This means you’ll be able to hear every single detail in your favorite songs, from the softest whispers to the most complex rhythms. The clarity and separation of the instruments is also fantastic, which makes for a truly immersive listening experience. The receiver also has a variety of EQ settings and audio processing modes to fine-tune the sound to your taste, whether you prefer a more bass-heavy or treble-heavy sound.

For movies, the NR1510 performs equally as well. For instance, take the action blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” or the Sci-fi film “Interstellar”. These movies are designed to be immersive and make you feel like you’re in the middle of the action. With the NR1510, you’ll feel like you’re right there with the characters, whether they’re fighting in space or on earth. The sound is truly enveloping, it really makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the action. Marantz receivers have always been known for their natural sound and the 1510 is no different

The bass output is also impressive on the NR1510, it’s tight and controlled, which makes for a more immersive experience. For example, in the movie “Jurassic Park” the bass output of the NR1510 will make you feel the earth shaking when the T-Rex is chasing the characters. It’s not overpowering, it’s just enough to add that extra dimension to the movie and make you feel like you’re there.

The NR1510 also reproduces the mid-range with a high degree of accuracy and clarity, which makes for a very natural and realistic sound. The dialogue is particularly impressive, as it sounds very lifelike and present.

The one downfall with the Marantz NR1510 is that at only 50 watts per channel, the 1510 isn’t ideal for large rooms or power-hungry speakers. Pair these with inefficient speakers and it may struggle a bit. However, as you can see above that if you do pair this amp with a decent set of speakers and use it a medium size room, this receiver will perform beautifully.

Conclusion

The Marantz NR1510 is a good option for anyone tight on space and wants a good sounding av receiver. What the 1510 lacks in brute strength it makes up for with finesse and accuracy. Because of its compact size you will miss out on features that some of its bigger brothers have, but that’s the trade-off.